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Cover letters5 min read
Write a cover letter that sounds like you
A short structure for tailored letters — without sounding like a template or a chatbot.
Careerly Team · Career strategy
Hiring managers can smell generic cover letters. The fix isn’t writing more — it’s writing a tighter narrative that connects your proof to their problem.
Three paragraphs, one job
Open with why this role (and company) specifically. Middle: one or two proof points mapped to their priorities. Close with a clear, confident ask and availability.
Keep it under 300 words unless the employer explicitly wants more.
Mirror the JD, keep your voice
Borrow their language for skills and outcomes, but keep sentence rhythm that sounds like you. Read it aloud — if you wouldn’t say it in a coffee chat, rewrite it.
AI drafts are useful as a first pass. Your edit pass is what makes the letter hireable.